In Christ Alone our Hope is Found

I couldn't get rid of this bullet, so I had to write something! (o: Our house is sold. There is only one thing that could make it unsold - If Micah's scan shows cancer, we can't sell house.  The Lord willing, we are moving on Friday July 20. We are hoping to load up the Thursday night if you aren't busy! (o: Remember the lady who wanted to see my house, who wrote everything in slang? Well she didn't come and look at it. Phew! I knew she wasn't the one! (o: There was another lady that called me and she interrupted me to SC-REAM at her kids. Wow. For real. It was loud. I am thankful I was spared the awkward moment of telling her she couldn't buy my house either.   Next time I buy toilet paper and cereal we will be living in the States..... I Belinda Pennings, living in Wyoming Michigan, across from a church, in a pretty two story house, with a thrift store 500 steps from my front door, going to a new church, meeting new people, having a husband who is sem...

 Ken is home now. I loooove having him home!  He has no more marking or meetings. His desk is emptied and he is done teaching. It is kind of hard to imagine. He has taught since January of 1997. That is a long time. It is kind of sad to see the end of chapter. But it is kind of exciting to see the beginning of a new one. I have been sick for the last few days. I have been quite sick actually. My chest is super full, my throat hurts, my sinus' are full and my head feels like it's going to explode. My teeth even hurt.  I rarely get sick. But all of the kids were really sick last week too. Most of them are still coughing, esp Micah. It sure hits him hard. Last week,  I missed the grad dinner and graduation at Oxford because of sick kids. I was sad to miss those things, especially since they were the last ones. This is a doozy. It sure makes me appreciate healthy. It will also help me be more sympathetic when Ken is sick. I am not very good at that! Seriously. (o: Ke...

I am so thankful to report that Cheyenne's cancer has been staged as stage 1. What an answer to prayer. Even though it is stage 1, she will still have almost a year of treatment.  I am sure it is such a relief, but the reality of a year full of hospital visits and stays is still a hard one. To stay up to date read HERE . Please pray for this precious family as they begin this hard road. The reality of actually moving away is here. In the last week, we have had 6 people through our little house. That is not bad for just advertising on facebook and a sign on the lawn. There are a few hopefuls. It hit me hard today that we are actually doing this. For a few months, it's been theory. But now it feels real.  This reality made me cry today. A lot.  Ive been reminded that this is what God is asking. He will take care of us. We are not crazy. It will be OK, because we are following Him.. Above are my new favourite things from facebook. They come from Prover...

(For some reason I wasn't able to separate my paragraphs?) Micah and I went to the hospital this morning to go to see the surgeon. He was the same one who did Micah's lung surgery. He is just as I remember him. He is loud and big. He is a take charge kind of guy. He loves my Micah. He is amazed that he looks so good. He does look like a chess or debate team president. All he needs is to put tape on his glasses! haha. The guy is brilliant. But I am wondering if he is so brilliant that he is impractical. You know those guys? Anyways, he didn't realized what we were there for (port appointment). There was some confusion. He thought we were there for him to tell us that the nodule in Micah's abdomen was fine. WHAT? I didn't know there was a nodule in his abdomen. I have tried to be patient and gracious and I still am trying hard. But sometimes the lack of communication drives me a little crazy. Our Doc is brilliant. She really does know what she is doing. She is ...

My house is quite a mess and everyone just left for baseball and I should be putting myself into gear and working like a crazy woman to get it done. But I am so tried. Pips has been sick for a few days and I have had little sleep. I am not used to little sleep anymore. I am thankful she is starting to feel better. I think I just need to sit for a moment to stop the swirling of thoughts. Tomorrow Micah has an appointment with the surgeon who is going to take his port out. We are hoping to get an early surgery date, so are we clear to move if our house sells and the buyers want a quick closing date. Last time when Micah got his port out, it was a day of celebration. It was about 7 months after treatment was done. We even took pictures just before we went in to the OR. (I packed the CD's and I can't find them on the computer!)  We were smiling and laughing. It was so fun. He recovered nicely. We had no thought of relapse. Looking back, I know we were told he was at greater r...

I looooove it when people go really slow past my house and turn around to look at the property and get my phone number.  It makes me want to run out and tell them how sweet my house is and that they should come in and look. I want to say that it's a good deal and great investment. I want to say, look past the ugly wall color and no trim. I want them to see the the beauty like we do. I want to tell them that we have lived a life time of sadness and joy here. I want to ask them if they really understand what God did here in this little bungalow. But if I would do that, they would run! (O: I am learning that I may have a hard time selling our house to someone I don't feel a connection with. I know it's business. But I am not business. It's true that I like to think. I want to be wise. But my heart is wrapped up here. It's a bit emotional for me. Someone faced booked me and they are coming to look at the house tomorrow. I actually said to Ken that I don't th...

I know that my posts are rather boring this past week. I have sent you to some good place but I don`t have anything to write. I am thinking of people that need to be prayed for. I am trying to trust the Lord in all things and working on staying on my knees instead of thinking about all I have to do "in my own strength". It was Grace's birthday today (Friday). I am thankful she is only turning 2 because we didn't remember till about lunch time and she won't remember! I will do a great blog post for her after my house is clean. Deep clean. It will be a while. (O:  Good night! Saw this post and am praising the Lord. WOW. Look at  LUCY ! I am quite sure she has still relapsed. But the Lord has been gracious, beyond words. 

If you have been praying for Lucy, go to her blog and read about how she doing. God is a God of miracles He is powerful and gracious. http://erikandkatekrull.blogspot.ca/

I have been meaning to write a blog post about choices. Today I came across this one and decided she did it for me! Read on people! Really, it will make you think. Regardless of who you are, where you are and what you do, you make many choices a day. Sometimes we don't think of all of the little things as choices, but they sure are! Quick, read it now. It may change your perspective! (O: http://sheensteve.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/a-million-little-choices/

I came across a blog this past week. Someone was asking for prayer for a family. I clicked on it and started reading about a little girl with cancer. On June 5 she relapsed. I believe she first had cancer 18 months ago. As I read her mom's post from Saturday it crumpled my heart. Lucy has no time left. She is spending her days asleep or being held by her mom. I ache for this family. How do you sit and rock your girl as her heart starts to give out and she gets weaker and weaker?  It is through God's strength I know. In times of grief and loss, He gives you a strength that would seem impossible. But that doesn't take the raw pain away. My first response was to link this blog and ask you to pray. My second response was to wonder if I am just burdening you with sadness and another one to pray for? The reason I thought that is because my heart is heavy right now. I spend my day praying for people as I go. I try to be purposeful in going through my list. I don't rest...

It's Saturday morning. Each of the kids shows their own personality with their hats. From L-R . Josh, Micah, Nads My boys are gone to a baseball clinic in London. My little kids are across the street at my parents and I am sitting here staring at facebook, thinking to myself, "Common people post something!" What a total waste of time. Seriously. This is what I would like to do! (O: She is rocking with her other foot.  I have a trillion things to do. But I have worked so hard this week and I am finished. Exhausted! So instead of pushing on, I thought I would just sit here. Maybe writing for a few minutes will spur me on. A little girl from "our circles in the Brantford/St George area was diagnosed with cancer this week. She is 4. They are waiting for a treatment plan. I am praying that they get info quickly. Oh Lord please have mercy. Natalie helping Micah pack up his shelves. A lot of it is Art Therapy stuff. I am kind of getting excited to ...

This guy is my new friend and I love how he writes.  I have been watching a series called, Dispatches from the Front, by  Frontline Ministries . Go to "home" on that link to see an excerpt. I have always felt myself leaning towards foreign missions. I am not sure if God is genuinely speaking or if it is my heart breaking which in turn makes me want to go. Often Ken reminds me that there are so many souls to reach right in our backyard. I always think that people far away need the gospel more. Do they have less exposure? Do people in the West have more knowledge and opportunity because of where they live? I don't really know. I just watched the episode on India today. I actually said out loud, "Oh Lord, if you ever call us to the mission field, please not India." It is so dirty, crowded and chaotic. But the bigger reason, is because it is a land of idolitry. There are millions of idols they worship. The statues seem almost as numerous as the peopl...

Many of you "blog know me". I try to be real on my blog and through what I write, I hope you get a picture of who am I. But the "everyday who I am", doesn't always get shown. Just so you are not surprised if you meet me, here is a little more of who I am. Hehe! (o: I like to say words like, "For-real-io ?" and "wowsa" I live in flip flops, jeans and a t-shirt. I often wonder what the Lord has in store for my family. When I put aside the practical things that I need to do in the next months, I am in awe. At times it fills me with such joy that it makes me cry. I am so thankful that God can use us, whether here or there, despite ourselves. We are so weak and He is so strong. Fill me Lord. I love throwing things out. We have so many squirrels that have caused us so many problems, that it wouldn't bother me to shoot them. I am serious. Squirrels are crazy. They have even intimidated me. Picture me running into the house after a one ...

I love this so much. It is a beautiful reminder. Knowing that whatever has happened, is happening and will happen, He is all we need. Thank you God for being my Lord and Saviour!

At this moment, I am sitting in a monumental mess. I have not been sleeping because of Grace, so my house started out untidy this morning. I starting packing instead of cleaning up first and I am literally stepping over things to walk. There is not a even a clear path.  It would be nice if I could snap my fingers and have someone here to clean for me for an hour! (o: I can't see my way through.  I should maybe just give up and crawl into bed for an hour. It's not worth trying to push through. I am not getting a thing done. Today, Ken, Josh, Micah and Nads are in Toronto for their last baseball game, most likely for 4 years. (o: It's kids day at the Rogers Center! They are getting on the go train in Oakville. How fun! I am home with Siah and Grace. Grace has been quite sick the last few days. She has been up most nights, for most of the night. It is strange. One night her fever was crazy high and then she woke up with blisters on her bum. She has had a low grade fever ...